The
Order of Saint Michael of the Wing(The
historic origins and the modern revival)

The Order
of Saint Michael of the Wing (Ordem de São
Miguel da Ala in Portuguese) is a Portuguese chivalric order of
long, interesting, and controversial history. The order in its
present incarnation falls under the leadership of Dom Duarte, Duke of
Braganza, pretender to the throne of Portugal.

Some say
that the Order only existed briefly in the 12th century (Alston,
George Cyprian "The Benedictine Order". The Catholic Encyclopedia.
Vol. 2. New York: Robert Appleton Company. 1907),
some claim it lasted until 1732
(James Anderson. Royal
genealogies: or, The genealogical tables of emperors, kings and
princes, from Adam to these times; in two parts. London.),
and some claim 1910 (Carlos
Rodrigues Lima. "Nuno da Câmara Pereira ganha batalha
judicial a D. Duarte" (in Portuguese). 2009).

The
ancient order was founded by King Afonso I of Portugal with the
intent of honoring group of knights of the Order of Saint James of
the Sword from the Kingdom of León. These knights assisted him
in retaking Santarém from the Moors on the Feast of Saint
Michael, May 8, 1147. Originally, the order was formed from members
of the Military Order of Saint James.The Order's first statutes were
approved by Pope Alexander III in 1171.

The Order
was revived by King Miguel I in 1828 during his brief rule In 1848
the Statutes of the order, which was now in exile, restructured it as
a secret military order to combat Freemasonry and restore the
Absolutist Monarchy in Portugal. (Cheke,
Marcus (1969). Carlota
Joaquina, queen of Portugal. (Reprinted.
ed.). Freeport, N.Y.: Books for Libraries Press).
Some consider it at that point simply to have been a secret society
aimed at restoring Braganza to the throne. Whatever the case, the
order's activity was suspended 10 years later after the Pope
prohibited all secret organizations.

The new
order today has been held to be an entirely new private entity and
not a dynastic award of the House of Braganza (Carlos
Rodrigues Lima. "Nuno da Câmara Pereira ganha batalha
judicial a D. Duarte" (in Portuguese). 2009).
Nevertheless, despite claims in courts disputing the claims of Dom
Duarte, the modern and revived Order of Saint Michael of the Wing
continues to operate. Members are chosen and pay a fee to the House
of Braganza. In recent times it has been alleged that Dom Duarte
himself no longer approves membership in his society, but it is
controlled by other members. Many members of the Order today are
Americans and citizens of the British Commonwealth.